In today’s society, the term “Yule” often brings to mind a log that we throw into the fireplace at Christmastime, or perhaps a delectable dessert created to represent the log. Either way, few of us (myself included) are well-informed about the true meaning of Yule.
Naturally, I began my research on the internet and came across an informative article that explained “Yule means feast, or maybe wheel.” After scrunching my eyes at the screen once or twice to assure myself that I wasn’t having some sort of reading crisis, I read through the rest of the article. My interest was now piqued. I double-checked the information and found that it’s true: “Yule” can mean either a feast celebrating the winter solstice or refer to a wheel, depending on the country of origin. Scandinavian countries celebrate the shortest day of the year with a Yule feast, while Indo-Europeans who migrated to Scandinavia around 3800 BC contributed to the Yule tradition. Of course, the wheel itself didn’t show up until much later, around 2500 BC.
Naturally, the celebration of the winter solstice isn’t just about celebrating the shortest day of the year. It’s a time to embrace the new beginnings that come as the days start to grow longer. The longer days brought hope, especially for people living in particularly cold regions. Farmers, shepherds, and hunters relied heavily on the lengthening days and warming air to survive. The winter solstice was seen as the turning point to celebrate all things new and hopeful.
The Yule Feast and Its Origins
The Yuletide feast was much more than just a time when food was in excess during the cold, dark winter months. Yule traditions were really about coping with the excessive darkness and warding off the evil and nasty spirits it was believed to harbor.
The origins of Yule are not 100% clear, but most believe it began as a Scandinavian tradition. Other potential origins include countries at similar latitudes, where, at the peak of winter, the sun doesn’t rise until close to 9:00 AM and sets around 3:00 PM, leaving only six hours of daylight. It would only make sense to celebrate the lengthening of the days.
Evergreen trees and holly bushes became symbols of life and hope during winter. In the barren landscape, their lush green was evidence of life when none could be seen. Holly branches were often used as decorations for doors and windows. Their prickly nature was thought to keep away the bad spirits of winter, which were believed to bring illness or madness.
In Scandinavian countries, the Yule goat, or Julbock, would wander from house to house delivering gifts in exchange for a sample of porridge from each home. Julbock’s roots trace all the way back to the mythological god Thor. It was once thought that Julbock was Thor’s carrier. Many Yule traditions are steeped in ancient folklore because missionaries didn’t reach Norway or Scandinavia until the 10th century, by which time tradition had already been well established.
Let’s not forget the Yule elf. He typically lives in attics, keeping the household running smoothly and everything in order. He’s a busy little guy, and all he asks for in return is a bowl of rice for Christmas dinner.
Iceland contributed the legend of the Yule cat, a remarkably large creature that devours lazy people. The lazy people of the village were not only denied any Yule rewards but were also in constant danger of being gobbled up by the ferocious Yule cat. Naturally, this threat made people a bit more motivated to contribute to the well-being of their village. The typical Yuletide reward, besides being safe from the Yule cat, was a new article of clothing.
The slaughter of any animal, including fish, was strictly forbidden during the Yule celebrations, a tradition still carried out in many parts of the world that celebrate Yule. The Yule feast was prepared ahead of time to adhere to this rule. The wheels were not to turn on the winter solstice, as it would reflect impatience with the turning of the sun — the arrival of springtime.
Common Christmas traditions, such as mistletoe and Christmas trees, were also part of Yule tradition. Oddly enough, Christmas trees were suspended upside down until the 13th century. There’s no documented reason for this, but the speculation is that no one had yet devised a method to make the cut tree stand upright as we do today.
Yule is still actively celebrated, especially in the northern regions of the world. Many Yule traditions have been incorporated into Christmas celebrations, so much so that it can be difficult to determine which holiday is being honored just by observing a home’s decorations or the behaviors of the people.
All of the December holidays share one basic theme, regardless of ancient tradition or religious affiliation. They are a time of peace and joy, love and honor, and, of course, merriment and sharing.
One Response
In Iran we have celebrated winter solstice for at least 4000 years as victory of light over dark since it is the longest night and days start getting longer. That longest night and celebration is called Yulda or Yalda which sounds similar to Scandinavian Yule. I wonder if they have anything to do with each other.